After his disciplined first two overs, Bhuvneshwar ended up conceding 29 runs in his final two overs.
In a thrilling Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) quarter-final between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, Anuj Rawat, the former RCB player, faced off against Bhuvneshwar Kumar, RCB’s IPL 2025 recruit, in a stunning batting performance at Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Anuj, who was released by RCB before the auction, was picked up by Gujarat Titans for INR 30 lakh. Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was acquired by RCB for INR 10.75 crore.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar started his spell well, conceding just five runs in his first two overs. However, when he returned to bowl in the death overs, Anuj and Ayush Badoni were at the crease, with Delhi sitting comfortably at 150/2 in the 16th over.
In his very first delivery of the 17th over, Anuj flicks Bhuvneshwar over deep mid-wicket for a six, marking the start of his aggressive assault.
The aggression carried into the 19th over, with Anuj smashing three fours on the first, third, and fifth balls, accumulating 15 runs off Bhuvneshwar’s over.
After his disciplined first two overs, Bhuvneshwar ended up conceding 29 runs in his final two, with Anuj scoring the majority of the runs. It was a complete turnaround for the Gujarat Titans batter, who handled Bhuvneshwar’s experience with ease.
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The Chinnaswamy Stadium holds sentimental value for both players. It will be Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s home ground in IPL 2025, where he will represent RCB. On the other hand, this venue was once Anuj’s home ground during his time with RCB. Despite the emotional connection for both players, it was Anuj who had the final say, producing a match-winning performance for Delhi with an unbeaten 73 off just 33 balls, including 7 fours and 5 sixes, at a strike rate of 221.21.
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